ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida sophomore guard Riley Kugel, who was benched for two games during the Southeastern Conference Tournament, is transferring to Kansas, he announced on social media.

Kugel, a former standout at Orlando's Dr. Phillips High School, announced his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal on social media right after Florida's 102-100 loss to Colorado in the NCAA Tournament. At the time, he said he had narrowed his options to Arizona, UConn, Houston and Kansas.

“It’s been fun and I appreciate everyone who has supported me through thick and thin,” Kugel wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “I will always be thankful for the bond I have built with my teammates in my freshman and sophomore years.”

A preseason all-SEC selection, Kugel averaged 9.2 points and 3.5 rebounds as a sophomore this season, with a season-high 25 points against Baylor on Nov. 23. The Orlando native averaged 9.9 points as a freshman and entered the season as an All-SEC preseason selection. He made 48 assists and had 63 turnovers this season. He scored 11 points, grabbed four rebounds and made three steals in the Gators' 102-100 loss to the Colorado Buffaloes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

But he was so solid down the stretch last season — he averaged 17.3 points over Florida’s final 10 games — that he considered turning pro. He ended up returning to Florida with hopes of being the team’s go-to scorer.

Instead, he often looked lost on the court and disengaged on the bench. TV cameras caught him brushing off teammates and coaches. Coach Todd Golden had him coming off the bench by the end of December and playing fewer and fewer minutes the deeper the Gators got into the season.